Thank you to everyone who came out to the Welcome Back Charity Mixer at Dublin Square in support of Elle's Place! The Charity Mixer was a great success. Grad and professional students came with old friends and some left having made new friends. The Cheap Dates took the stage later in the evening and students were able to rock out to old 80's favorites, some rock, with a hint of raggae. Stay tuned to the next COGS Newsletter to find out how much we were able to raise for Ele's Place. For more information on Ele's Place, visit http://www.elesplace.org/.Thank you to the Council of Medical Students, the College of Osteopathic Medicine Student Government Association, the Student Bar Association, the MBA Association, and Dublin Square for their support and contribution to this wonderful organization.

Council of Graduate Students, or COGS, announced the discounted MSU vs. University of Michigan hockey game at Joe Louis arena deal sold out earlier this week. The package included transportation and ticket to the Feb. 2 rivalry game for $7.

At the meeting, COGS also announced it will be a co-sponsor for the next Taste of East Lansing at its monthly full-council meeting Wednesday.

COGS unanimously approved a $500 co-sponsorship for the April 27 Taste of East Lansing event. The event brings together a wide variety of local restaurants handing out samples of meals they offer.

"We focused on events that really encourage graduate and professional students to get off-campus and into the community and interact with other East Lansing residents," COGS President Stefan Fletcher said.

This is the second year COGS has contributed to the event.

The location of the event and other logistics have not yet been determined, Fletcher said.

Spring 2013 Semester applications (for event dates 1/7/13 - 5/12/13) are being accepted now. Applications are reviewed on a first come, first served basis. Once funds allocated for funding requests are depleted, no more requests will be granted. NOTE: All applications must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the full council meeting of the month prior to your event. A list of full council meeting dates can be found here MEETINGSNEW, COGS WILL NOW FUND FOOD FOR YOUR EVENT UP TO $150.00!

GOOD NEWS!!The BGSA 9th Annual Research Symposium Abstract Submission Deadline has been extended to Monday February 4, 2013!Click on the link below to fast and easily submit your abstract. Presentations will be 10 minutes with 5 minutes for questions and feedback from peers. We are also accepting Poster submissions this year!!

Email Carina Baskett at baskettc@msu.edu to find out more and to sign up. Space is limited so reserve your spot today.

COGS Event: 5th Annual Graduate Academic Conference

February 15, 2013

Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center

8:00am - 6:00pm

In its fifth year, the Graduate Academic Conference will promote its most powerful assets in three theme areas, Innovation, Collaboration, and Professionalization. These three themes have been a consistent undertone of the previous four conferences and have proven to drive great opportunities for the graduate/professional student research community.

The GAC showcases both completed and ongoing graduate/professional student research, provides constructive feedback, and offers professionalization and networking opportunities for attendees. Our previous four conferences have been an ideal space for networking across disciplines, presenting research in a welcoming environment, and competing for prizes.

The 2013 GAC strives to increase innovation, collaboration, and professionalization. To increase innovation a virtual presentation section will be added, allowing students to submit prerecorded video presentations using YouTube.

Inviting a variety of research institutions, faculty and professionals across multiple disciplines will increase opportunities for collaboration. Creating a space for graduate/professional students to build research relationships with faculty, professionals and other students will increase professionalization benefits.